Tragedy Sky
by Skylo
Summary: Olimar finds himself on a slippery slope. Nothing makes sense and everything is so fucked up, so why is he still falling? Eventual yaoi. Possibly M in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

There was complete and utter silence at the dinner table at that moment, all the Brawlers too shocked to move or speak. Olimar folded the letter neatly and slipped it into his back pocket, swallowing hard as the reality of it all sank in.

What could he possibly do now?

How could he go on when–

His thoughts were interrupted by a large hand on his shoulder. He turned in his seat to find Meta Knight standing there, and though his mask covered his face, he saw kindness in his eyes. He stared at him for a long time, and the look they shared didn't waver until Olimar finally broke down and collapsed onto him, crying.

Meta Knight patted him gently and flashed Mario a meaningful look. Mario caught on immediately and cleared his throat.

"Olimar, I know this must be hard..but you're always welcome here. You can become a permanent resident if you want."

Olimar lifted his head slightly, loosening his grip on Meta Knight's cape but not completely letting go of him.

"What about my daughter?"

Mario blinked, dumbfounded. The letter didn't say anything about a girl.

"Well...I suppose she can stay too. How old is she?"

"15 months..."

Mario cringed. The idea of having a baby around of bunch of rowdy fighters wasn't ideal, but this was hardly the time to say no. He nodded once. Olimar pulled away from Meta Knight.

"That means a lot," he said, voice cracking slightly. He got up from his place at the table and began walking towards his room as fast as he could, a fresh wave of tears already streaming down his face. He couldn't handle being around anyone right now.

He entered his room–a room he barely used–and threw himself down on the bed. He buried his face in a pillow.

_It's all my fault.._

He wasn't around for them, always working or off at tournaments, neglecting his duties as a father and husband. He failed to protect them and now his wife and his little boy were missing. The police said in the letter that they were doing everything they could, but he had every doubt that they'd ever be found.

Still, he had to be strong. For Millie's sake. He couldn't let despair overtake him, not when she needed him most. He'd just have to put some faith in the police and keep an eye on the baby until..

Something happened.

He shook his head and clutched the pillow closer, trying to draw some sort of comfort. How could he think of moving on so soon?

He began drifting off, inviting sleep to escape these troubling thoughts that threatened to overwhelm him. Maybe things would start to make more sense tomorrow.

Waking up the next morning was painful. He'd dreamt about her. He didn't want to get out of bed, staying completely still to try to go through the dream in his head so he would remember it. But it was already fading, and he held back tears as he pushed the covers off of himself and tried to rub the redness from his eyes. He didn't want to look weak in front of the other Brawlers, even if he had cried at the dinner table last night. He didn't know why he felt like he had to save face. He was humiliated he broke down like that while everyone was watching, that he thought it was a good idea to open his mail in front of them in the first place. But he knew people would ask questions, and as much as he wanted to deny it, he needed their support. They were like his second family, although with a bit more fighting and rough housing. Still, they cared for him, but he didn't want anyone to get the impression he needed to be taken care _of_. So he sucked it up and padded downstairs, willing the pink tinge on his face to go down. There was only one that was up early enough to greet Olimar that morning.

Meta Knight eyed him from where he sat at one of the counters, sipping a cup of black coffee (though how he did that through his mask was a mystery). He didn't ask any questions or offer words of comfort, simply biding him a short, "good morning."

Olimar didn't respond, busily dragging the stool out from under the sink to reach the cabinets. The stool had been put there for the shorter members of the household so that they wouldn't feel like a burden. Olimar, being the shortest of all, had to lug it all over the house, but he didn't mind as long as he could do things himself.

He set the stool down in front of the fridge and began pulling things out–bacon, eggs, cheese, sausage, etc.–deciding to make up for his behavior by cooking enough for whoever gets up first. He hoped none of them was Kirby, or there wouldn't be nearly enough. Thankfully the pots and pans were on a lower shelf, so he grabbed a few and set them on the stove, setting out his ingredients on the counter beside it. But he couldn't reach the dials.

"Er...Meta Knight?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you..help me?"

Meta Knight was thankful Olimar couldn't see his very amused expression as he hopped down from his seat and came up beside him. The movement was so quick it could've been the act of a ghost, how silently and effortlessly he glided over. Olimar shook his head, feeling silly for thinking the masked warrior was creepy.

"Just give me a boost, will you?"

"Alright."

Meta Knight held out one hand and used the other to brace it as Olimar stepped up and used the oven handle as a railing. With his free hand, he stretched out just barely enough to reach the dials, turned all of them on, and pushed some of the pots and pans onto the back burners. The stove was quite impressive in size. Meta Knight's stance faltered, and before he knew it, he was toppling over onto the floor, sending Olimar crashing down with a pot in his right hand. Meta Knight still had a grip on his foot, so when he fell he accidentally flipped the little alien over. Olimar landed on top of him, the pot flew across the room, and he was staring directly into those yellow eyes. He blushed and immediately pushed off of him, dusting himself with an annoyed expression.

"What was that all about?" he grumbled. Meta Knight looked unfazed, as usual.

"You're heavier than you look," he replied evenly, sliding back into his seat to find that his coffee had gone cold. He dumped it in the sink and went to pour himself another cup. "My apologies."

Olimar continued to mutter to himself as he slapped bacon onto a pan and cracked a dozen eggs into a large bowl. He flattened out little circles of sausage onto a skillet and began whisking the eggs, but his mind was not focused on the task at hand. His thoughts were millions of miles away, back on planet Hocotate. The police report said that Millie was placed in the care of his in-laws for a couple days. He cringed. She'd be fat in a week, with the way they liked to cook. He took a spatula and flipped the bacon, flinching a bit at the harsh sizzle that spat hot oil at his face. He wondered how she was doing, if she was okay. She was probably screaming for her brother nonstop. Since the day she was born, they were inseparable.

He would carry her around and play with her and feed her whenever he could, almost like a pet.

Speaking of pets...

He wondered whatever happened to Bulbie.

The little runt was probably stuck in the house, yapping away at the door. His in-laws never cared for him much. Poor thing.

He poured the eggs in a pan and began scraping it around and chopping it with the spatula, trying not to think about how Mario would react when he brought Bulbie to stay at the mansion. It probably wasn't good that he forgot about that. Hopefully he wouldn't mind, as long as Bulbie could play nice with the Pokémon.

He flipped the sausages and pressed them with the spatula. The bacon was done.

"Meta Knight, do you think you could bring me something to put this bacon on?"

Meta Knight grunted and Olimar could hear him shuffling some dishes in a cabinet, looking for something large enough for all of it. A moment later he set a platter on the counter beside the stove and Olimar scraped the bacon onto it before adding more to the pan. He'd have to make a lot.

"Oh, and something for the rest of this too, please?"

Another grunt, and a few more plates appeared on the counter.

He felt the other pause right behind him, and Olimar braced himself for the question he'd been waiting for all morning.

"Are you alright?"

Olimar sighed loudly and dished the eggs onto a large plate, sprinkling cheese over it as he replied, "Define 'alright'."

"I mean, are you fit to carry on as normal...will that mask of yours hold?" he could hear the raised brow in Meta Knight's voice.

"What are you talking about? There's no mask. You're the one with the mask," he defended. Internally, he was frustrated that he'd noticed so quickly.

_How can he see right through me? Is it that obvious? Or does he do that with everyone?_

Meta Knight laughed.

"Yes, I suppose that much is true. Maybe I'll tell you about it one of these days."

Olimar had no time to ask what he meant before he heard someone enter with a loud yawn. Sonic slunk into the kitchen, bunny slippers and all.

"Hey Mety."

"I told you not to call me that," Meta Knight hissed.

"Whatever–Olimar!"

Olimar turned at the sound of his name, expecting to find Sonic's expression change from surprise to pity. It did, but then it shifted to something that confused him. Fear. With effort, he ignored the look and busied himself with finishing up breakfast.

Sonic apparently realized his mistake and plastered on a smile, moving to sit beside Meta Knight at the counter.

"Wow, that smells great!" he exclaimed.

Olimar shrugged off the compliment.

"You're in luck. It's first come first served."

Sonic perked up at this, but didn't move to grab a plate or anything. He continued to sit there, eyeing him warily until he was done with his work and hopped off the stool.

"You're taller than me, you should turn off the stove." The commanding tone in his voice made Sonic flinch. "I have somewhere to be," he added.

Sonic nodded silently as Olimar exited through the hallway, and as he left he heard Meta Knight yell at him.

"What the hell was that all about?" he snapped.

Sonic let out a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Look, I'm just keeping a safe distance. People who are upset and keep it bottled up are very...unstable." The last word sounded like it stung, as if he knew all too well what it was like to get caught up in that.

Meta Knight didn't seem too convinced.

"That doesn't matter. How would you expect anyone to be after something like that happens to them? He needs support right now, and you're being selfish!"

He heard Meta Knight toss his cup into the sink, but didn't hear him approaching until he was already turning the corner. He paused for a second and looked at him. Olimar must have looked very confused, because Meta Knight brushed past him and told him to follow.

"I..er...thanks for what you did back there."

Meta Knight was silent a moment.

"Think nothing of it. I'd do the same for anyone. I'm tired of everyone in this house acting like we aren't a team."

Olimar nodded slowly.

"Still...thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied, patting his back.

"Where are we going?"

Meta Knight led him down a hallway he'd only been down a couple times before.

"The docking station. I know you're not too concerned about the state of your ship–and you're right, it is a piece of junk–but you'll need it if you want to return to your home planet and get your daughter."

Olimar froze.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

Meta Knight seemed thoroughly annoyed by the question.

"What else are friends for?"

That's funny, none of the other Brawlers had ever called him "friend".

"..fair enough."

They entered the docking station, and Olimar was surprised to find his ship fully operational, not a scratch in sight. Last time he saw it, the thing was completely totaled. It seemed the only way to put it on the ground was a crash landing.

Olimar blinked a couple times.

"How–"

"You can thank the Pikmin. I saw them working on it a couple weeks ago. I guess they wanted to surprise you."

Olimar nodded. The Pikmin were always trying to stay busy. Meta Knight continued.

"How long is the trip? If you're going to be gone a bit I could watch them for you."

Olimar opened his mouth, ready to protest, but Meta Knight held up a hand.

"It's not a favor or anything. I think they've taken a liking to me, so I'm happy to do it."

How was that so? They hardly spoke before then. Had Meta Knight been spending time with the Pikmin whenever he was away? It wouldn't surprise him–he really didn't expect anyone else to do it, and Meta Knight had always been dutiful. But perhaps...he was trying to get close to him? No, that was ridiculous.

"That's fine. But don't say I don't owe you."

Meta Knight just chuckled in response, leaving without another word. Olimar watched him go, trying not to wonder just what he was playing at. Perhaps there wasn't any harm in letting _one _person help him out.

* * *

**Grab some tissues. This story is heavy.**

**Reviews are much appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

The trip to Hocotate took about 3 hours, not counting the amount of time it took to penetrate the atmosphere. The landing was much smoother, however. The Pikmin had tinkered with the stabilizers, though where they learned to do that was unclear (he had a suspicion Captain Falcon was involved). He didn't have the urge to land it in a scrap heap and leave it there, for once.

After shutting down the ship, he gazed out onto his planet wistfully. He'd forgotten just how long it had been since he'd been there. It wasn't gorgeous, but it was home. He jumped out of the cockpit and began walking in the direction of his house. He'd pick up Bulbie and a few other things first, and then head out to the in-laws'.

He didn't want to think about the situation that would surely arise when he went to pick up his daughter. His in-laws were statues, always cold and calculating. They never approved of him, but they were always so nice so the kids. He knew that as soon as he walked through the door they'd throw accusations and insults at him, blaming him for the disappearance of their daughter and grandson. He was already bracing himself for it.

His house was just a few blocks away, and when it came into view his heart dropped. The familiar sight was enough to make his throat tighten as memories with his family flooded back to him. He froze on the doorstep, key in hand, and almost turned away. He didn't think he was ready to see the house so empty and lifeless. There was police tape everywhere–no doubt they'd torn the place apart, and he had a feeling certain things he'd rather not notice would be marked. But then he heard Bulbie scratching and yelping loudly, and he shook it off. He opened the door and the Bulbie came bounding out, leaping on Olimar in an instant and licking his face and making excited noises. Olimar never did figure out what type of animal he was–he was just a little thing when they found him. He looked a lot like what the earthlings called a "dog", but his eyes had stalks much like the earth's "snail". He looked like the Bulbasaurs Olimar had fought on his first trip to earth, which is why they're named after him. He acted like them sometimes too, often spending the night outside for biting or playing too rough. He pushed the slobbering mess off of him and ushered him inside. Bulbie looked thin. As he'd expected, the in-laws didn't even stop by to feed him. He scratched Bulbie behind the ear and began wandering the house, avoiding the various tape marks that were scattered on the carpet. He packed some clothes, a few valuables, the money stash, and a bag of toys and baby supplies. After putting a leash on Bulbie, he dragged all of his belongings to the front porch and pulled out his communicator.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey, Rayna. It's Olimar."

A pause. Hopefully she wouldn't yell over the phone.

_"Oh, hello. Um, your daughter's taking a nap so–"_

"Actually I'm on Hocotate right now. I was wondering if you could give me a lift? I'm at the house."

_"I-I suppose..but like I said–"_

"Look, we can talk it over when you get here, okay?"

_"Er...okay. See you in a bit._

"Alright thanks, bye."

_"..bye."_

Olimar cut the transmission as quick as he could, breathing out a sigh of relief. Something was definitely off about her. Normally when asked to do a favor, she'd fight him every step of the way. He supposed even someone like her would be shaken by her daughter's disappearance.

Rayna arrived ten minutes later. Her hover car was nice, but old-fashioned. She had exquisite taste. She and her husband came into quite a bit of money recently with the death of their own parents, and they seemed perfectly collected then. But they were probably well-prepared for it–their parents were ancient. He pushed away the thought and dumped his bags in the back seat, instructing Bulbie to behave before he climbed into the passenger door. He didn't miss the look of pure hatred she directed at the animal. He mumbled a short greeting as he climbed in the passenger door and fastened his safety belt.

"So what was it we needed to talk over?"

To the point, as usual.

"I'm taking Millie with me, off-planet. And before you say anything–" he added, already sensing her protest, "–I want to assure you that I would never let my little girl be in any harm. I know what I'm doing, and I think it's the best place for both of us right now."

How were these words coming so easily? He was usually terrified of the woman!

"So what I need to ask you is if you know Millie's measurements–" A tight-lipped nod from Rayna. "And if you know where I can get more suits like mine." Another nod.

"Good."

Rayna took off without another cross word. Maybe she was accepting the fact that there was nothing she could do, that she had no say against Millie's father. That made him feel a rush of power.

They arrived at a place that designed spacesuits and parked. Olimar began digging around in his luggage for some pokos but Rayna insisted she'd pay for it. She was being almost _too_ nice. Once inside, Rayna immediately began talking to the salesgirl about sizes and Olimar was left sifting through the racks. When had he gotten his own suit?

Oh yeah, it was standard issue at Hocotate freight. He felt guilty. His boss was very understanding with his work–he had to balance time between his family, the company, and the mansion. He often just gave him work here and there when he was around, kind of as a thank-you for saving the company not too long ago. He was sincerely grateful for all the leniency he was being given. He'd have to go in soon and explain the situation. He was sure his boss had already heard the news, but it was always good to show up in the flesh and ask for a leave of absence. If only he knew how long he'd be gone...

He'd been so neglectful with all of his duties, only having a half-ass amount of energy to put into any one thing. He had a lot on his plate.

Olimar looked over at his mother-in-law and thought of his own mother. He hadn't been to see his parents in forever. He knew they didn't have many more years, but he could never find the time. Now was as good a time as any, so they could see their grandchild again before he took her back to earth. He'd visit, of course. He wasn't about to keep Millie from her relatives, that wouldn't be fair. And without a job, he'd only have to balance time at the mansion with visiting time, which made everything a whole lot simpler. At least..until the police find Buice and Gerali. _If_ they did.

He tried not to think about it too much.

"Olimar, come here."

Olimar jerked his head up from something he was looking at and obliged.

"What is it?" He asked, looking from the salesgirl to his mother-in-law.

"You're getting two, right? One for Millie and one for that..mangy thing.."

"Yeah. Do you want me to bring him in?"

"No, no, no," the salesgirl exclaimed. Her name tag read "Tesra".

"Here, take this tape measure and measure his neck, torso, back, and snout. And if he's chunky measure his gut. That should give me a good idea."

Olimar nodded, glad to have something to do as the women chatted away. He scurried back to the car and opened the back door. Bulbie immediately hopped out and shook himself off. He hated car rides. Olimar grabbed his scruff to hold him still and began wrapping the tape measure around him as best as he could. After a while, the suits were programmed to leak air from the surrounding planet in controlled amounts, so he'd gotten accustomed to Earth's oxygen, but he wasn't taking any chances with Millie and Bulbie. He returned to the counter with the measurements and Tesra disappeared into the back to put in the orders. Rayna elbowed him and pointed excitedly to something frilly in a catalog that was open on the counter.

"Look! Isn't it cute?"

Olimar hmm'ed absently, wondering how Millie's reaction would look when he walked through the door. He could already see her eyes light up and a smile spread on her round, pudgy face. She had two teeth in the front, which she loved to use to bite everything and anything, and he pictured her when she smiled. They usually made her look goofy. He sighed. He tried to keep his thoughts on her and off of the other members of his family as much as possible. It wasn't healthy for him–or Millie–to start missing them quite yet.

After a painfully long amount of time at the spacesuit store (and more than one refusal to put Bulbie in a tutu), they were finally heading to the house. His mother-in-law insisted he stay a night and rest, so that he'd have enough energy for the ride back tomorrow. He called Meta Knight and explained he was going to be longer than anticipated, giving him short instructions on how to feed the Pikmin.

He hung up and pressed his face against the window. It was already starting to get cold. He wondered if Millie had gotten sick...she came down with something last winter. He had the urge to ask Rayna about this, but he didn't really feel like speaking out loud at the moment. Instead, he stared at the snow that had begun to fall, and he allowed himself, briefly, to think about his wife, Buice. He hoped she was alive and safe, and that maybe there has been some sort of mistake, and she has just fled for some reason. Even if it was to get away from a life without a husband, alone with her children. That would be better than her being dead.

There was no way she could be dead. He would know..somehow.

"We're here."

Olimar jumped slightly, distracted from his thoughts. He gathered his things from the back seat and eagerly hopped out of the hover car. He was so excited to see Millie. She'd been through a lot in the last week, he was sure she'd be happy to see him. But as he walked in the door, he saw something that almost broke his heart.

Millie was sitting there, and when she looked up at him she looked...confused.

Almost as if she didn't recognize him.

The urge to rush forward and scoop her up was immediately thwarted by guilt and shame. He felt weak in the knees. Rayna watched the whole exchange with a stony expression, until finally, Millie caught sight of her and gave her that brimming smile she was supposed to be giving her father. He felt tears sting at his eyes, and furiously wiped them away. Rayna simply pulled the child into her arms and went to scold her husband for letting her out of the crib so late. He heard him holler something about escaping, and shook his head. He needed to snap out of it. So what if she didn't remember? It was his fault for never being around. How could he expect her to remember?

But it still hurt, it hurt more than anything. He knew he'd have to win that trust, that undying, unconditional love a child was supposed to give their parent. He was all she had now, and filling the void left by his wife and son would not be easy.

The next morning Olimar got up early to pack. Millie had no shortage of toys and blankets. As he wedged a teddy bear into the already over-full duffel bag, he heard someone approach from down the hallway.

It was his father-in-law, Gyro, of all people. He knew the man had been avoiding him as much as possible–he was always more fond of Olimar than his wife was, so he probably didn't want to see the pain he was going through. He wasn't good with tense or emotional situations, either. But as he stepped into the playroom, his expression was already set. He carried a tiny, silver box in one hand.

"Here," he said, holding it out. Olimar took it and turned it in his hands. It was a music box.

"Buice loved it when she was a little girl..It would mean a lot if you passed it on to Millie when she's old enough."

Olimar stared at it a moment. It was truly touching that he would give him this. Gyro wasn't a sentimental person, but he knew as well as Olimar that if Buice was never found, he'd want to give Millie something to remember her by. And underneath that was the unspoken truth that he himself would also want something to remember her by...

He nodded and slipped the box into his pocket. Gyro left without another word.

A few hours later, Rayna dropped Olimar and his daughter off at Hocotate Freight so he could explain himself to his boss. After a teary-eyed goodbye (well, for Millie, not for him), Olimar assured Rayna that his own parents would come to pick them up later and promised they'd visit in a month or so. Millie was already fast asleep in her walker by the time they reached the door. As he pushed her down the hall and to the elevator, a few workers stepped out from a storage room to his right. He knew one of them, and was about to say hi when they suddenly turned and fled. A sinking feeling weighed on his heart. So they had heard, too, and they were reacting just like Sonic had. Was everyone he knew so frightened to comfort him? He wished everything could go back to normal, so everyone would stop treating him like he was made of glass.

Olimar sighed and pushed the button to the elevator, and wasn't surprised when the doors opened that the man who was on it fled too.

He selected the twentieth floor, and the jerk of the elevator as it ascended woke Millie. She began to cry, but Olimar didn't move to comfort her. Let her cry, he thought. At least that way someone wouldn't have to keep it bottled up.

He did give her a binky when he arrived at the boss' door, however. He knew the man would not appreciate a lot of noise accompanying bad news.

Olimar strode into the office, made a beeline for his boss' desk, and cleared his throat. He already rehearsed what he was going to say–there was no point in wasting time.

As expected, was surprised to see him and pulled him in for a bear hug before Olimar could back away from it.

"How's my favorite employee? I heard about your wife. I'm very sorry, Olimar."

Pity. Figures.

Olimar shrugged. "It's alright.."

looked down at Millie.

"I see you've brought your daughter. Was there something.."

"I'm resigning. Well, temporarily."

The other nodded somberly.

"Take as much time as you need. I'll take care of the paperwork."

Olimar nodded as well. His boss had always been a very understanding man.

"Thank you."

He wrapped his fingers around the stroller's handles and began heading back towards the door.

"Olimar?"

He paused.

"Yeah?"

hesitated a moment.

"Don't...just...try to smile sometimes, okay? I know it's hard but...it would do you some good."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Olimar stood outside. He regretted not having a hover car, feeling guilty for asking people for rides. He'd told Buice they didn't need one, since his work was right down the street and the supermarket was a few blocks away. But now, holding his communicator in his hand, he didn't think it was right to ask it of his parents. He was probably being selfish–he really just didn't want to have to face them. Olimar hadn't seen his parents in a little less than a year ago, around earth's "Chirstmas". He'd come to visit then, only because they'd been excited to try out the holiday since he'd talked about it. Everyone at Smash Mansion celebrated Christmas.

Damnit, he'd have to get presents this year.

He sighed. He bumped into Louie on the way out. The boy was much more a sensitive type than Olimar had guessed, and it took him a good ten minutes to convince him he was really alright.

Ah, how he longed for the days of adventuring. However dangerous it may have been, and however annoying Louie may have gotten, it was still nice to be free and new to things.

...Nevermind any of that. He was letting himself get distracted, and he knew that if he did anything else he'd never get around to what he had to do. He dialed his parent's number and was immediately greeted by his mother's voice.

_"Ollie! Oh, are you in town?"_

"Yeah, mom. I'm at the company, do you think you could pick me up?" His voice wavered. He hadn't talked to her in so long.

_"You have my little granddaughter with you, right? That's perfect, I was just making cookies!"_

Olimar rolled his eyes. He wasn't the only one prone to getting distracted.

"So you'll come get us?"

_"Oh no, honey. I've got a bad shoulder. Your father can come get you. Dramu! Wake up, your son needs a ride!"_

He could hear his father grumbling in the background.

_"I told that boy he needs a car. Ain't no sense going around begging to be carted around."_

His mother giggled through the receiver.

_"Give him half an hour."_

It was more like an hour later that Dramu pulled up in his dinged Roller 400. His parents lived in a quaint house, about ten miles from a town in any direction. They got most of their groceries from a nearby farm, and everything they couldn't get there they grew themselves. They were completely isolated from the rest of the world. Maybe that's why he never wanted to visit. Their house felt like a time machine.

He strapped a sleeping Millie into the backseat and dumped his things in the trunk before climbing into the front. His father ruffled his hair playfully and told him he was too skinny, like he always did. At least he didn't ask how he was doing.

Most of the ride back, Dramu chattered on about Fairinoa's cooking and how many pies she'd made in the last week. Retirement had given both of them too much free time, so he often tended to the garden while she baked. Olimar tried to ignore the comment he made about nobody being there to eat it.

At some point, about two-thirds of the way to the house, the hover car ran out of gas, so Olimar had to get out and push. By then it was getting to be dinner time, and the sky was darkening. Needless to say, it was cold, and Olimar did not dress for snow. It took about another hour to push it back to his parents' house alone, since Dramu had to steer.

When he walked through the door, he was actually in the mood to stuff his face full of the large amount of sweets his mother had made.

It was nice that they avoided questions about Buice and Gerali–knowing his parents, they'd get straight to the point. But sometimes they knew it was best not to talk about some things, so that he could have a nice visit without yelling or screaming.

He ate dinner with his parents and gave Millie a warm bottle of milk to settle her down for the ride back to earth.

"Ollie?"

"Yes, mom?" Olimar finished tucking Millie into her carrier and turned. "What's up?"

His mother paused for a second at the strange use of language, but pressed on.

"Listen...I know you loved Buice, but..if she never comes back.."

"Mom, are you asking me to move on? It's too soon to think about stuff like that."

"I know, but..I want you to be happy. I don't want you to spend the rest of your life alone."

"I'll have Millie. That's enough for me."

He understood where his mother was coming from, but the very idea that she would push him to find someone else so quickly grated his nerves. It was just the way she was, always looking forward as if others could do the same.

He stepped forward and hugged her.

"I..I just don't think I'm ready yet."

_'And I probably never will be'_, he added inwardly.

"Don't worry about me."

She smiled and returned the embrace.

"What kind of mother ever stops worrying about her son?"

Olimar grunted an agreement and pulled away from her to grab the carrying basket where Millie slept.

"I love you, mom," he mumbled. He was anxious for this painful goodbye to be over, so he could go back to ignoring his parents for another few months without letters.

His father was waiting outside in the car, no doubt already thinking up things to lecture him about as he drove him back to the docking station. He groaned and slung the rest of his belongings over his shoulder before trudging out into the cold morning air.

The ride to the station was eerily silent. Olimar didn't want to speak, however, afraid that any noise could wake Millie, and he truthfully had no idea how to get her to go back to sleep after she was woken up. As he climbed out of the vehicle and said goodbye to Dramu, his father suddenly grabbed his arm. He looked back.

"Dad?"

"You don't come around very often. Your mother...she worries about you."

Olimar nodded, guilt settling in his stomach. He knew all too well how much she worried.

"Don't forget to visit. I'd like to see my grandbaby walk before I die."

Olimar nodded and smiled slightly. He really did feel sorry for his dad. He was worse off than he let show.

"I promise. I love you, dad."

"I love you too, son."

He released him and let him grab his things before driving off. Olimar watched him go sadly. It was always like this. They always made him feel like a terrible person.

A chilly breeze blew past, and Millie cried out a little, making Olimar realize just how cold it was. He quickly piled Millie and Bulbie into the cockpit and started it so the engines could warm up as he stowed the rest of his luggage in a side compartment.

Once he was done, he strapped himself in and sighed heavily.

"Computer, take me home," he commanded. "Routing..." The computer droned in response. He laid his head back and closed his eyes. The whole visit had been nothing but walking on eggshells, but at least he had Millie. There was always some degree of comfort in having family around.

After liftoff, he put the ship on auto pilot and allowed the whir of the machine lull him to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

When Olimar got home, most of his housemates were gathered outside. He'd never had a welcoming party when he came back from his visits. He quickly changed Millie and Bulbie into their suits and cut the engine.

Peach and Zelda immediately began cooing at the baby, and Bulbie began sniffing at the Pokémon, so he just left them for the moment. Donkey and Diddy Kong helped him bring his things inside while Olimar sought out Mario to see what exactly was going on. As soon as he located the red-clad plumber, he pulled him aside.

"What's all this about? Did you have anything to do with this?"

Mario laughed.

"Well, it's an initiation. It wasn't my idea, if that's what you mean."

"Then who–?"

He was interrupted when someone nudged him rather hard, almost making him fall over.

"Meta Knight!"

"I thought we should welcome you to the family. It seems you'll be staying here more permanently from now on, so I figured we might as well celebrate."

He lowered his voice and added, "..we haven't had a decent party in ages thanks to doctor killjoy over there," indicating Mario.

Olimar giggled. He'd never heard Meta Knight talk so much–not when he wasn't mad, anyway–and he certainly never made jokes. Maybe he really was happy about him moving in.

Peach walked up just then, holding a screaming Millie in her arms.

"I don't know what happened.." she mumbled, obviously upset that the baby wasn't enjoying her company any more.

Olimar sighed and took Millie from her.

"She's tired. I guess I should lay her down. She'll have to sleep with me until I can set up a crib or something. She's not going to be happy about that."

Peach exchanged a look with Meta Knight and smiled.

"Actually, that won't be necessary."

Before he could protest, Peach grabbed him by the arm and began dragging him down the hall. He tried to keep his balance and hold Millie with one hand, protesting the whole way. Finally, Peach released him and pushed open a door–the one right next to his room–and flipped the switch.

"You didn't..."

"I couldn't help myself," Peach shrugged. "Oh, and be sure to thank Zelda too. She paid for most of it."

Olimar carried Millie into the room and looked around. There was a crib on the far side of the room, a pile of stuffed animals in the corner, and a changing table near the door. The room was accessorized to the teeth and was sickeningly pink and frilly–Peach's doing, no doubt–but it hardly mattered.

"T-thank you," he stuttered. He was truly grateful. Nobody in the house had ever been so nice to him. In fact, they barely spoke to him most of the time. He had a feeling a lot of this change had to do with Millie being around, but he ignored it. At least they were doing something, if not for him, then for her.

Suddenly, Fox burst into the room, panting hard. His eyes were wild with fear.

"Olimar, is that your _mongrel_ outside?!"

Olimar nodded.

"Yeah, that's Bulbie. Why, is he doing something wrong?"

"No, no, nothing like that but it's _dangerous_! I demand you get rid of him!"

Peach bopped him on the nose.

"See here, Fox. Bulbie is Olimar's pet! You're just going to have to play nice with him. He can't even bite, he's wearing a helmet!"

Fox twitched his ears in irritation.

"Yeah, but he can still scare the life out of me every time he barks. And he'll still jump on everyone–including me!"

"Why are you so afraid?" Olimar groaned. "Wolf is a canine too."

"Yeah, and he and I have our differences as well! At least I know Wolf won't try to hump my leg!"

Peach giggled and whispered to Olimar that it wasn't entirely true, and Olimar rolled his eyes. Everyone in the mansion seemed to have an issue with telling him things he'd rather not hear.

"Too bad. Just stay away from him, if you have to," Olimar snapped. He himself was getting tired and was not in the mood to deal with the petty complaints of his housemates. He tucked Millie into her new crib and watched her fall asleep. She usually slept with a pacifier–which she had attached to the inside of her helmet in place of a whistle–but it would take her a while to figure it out. Peach looked on with a dreamy expression on her face, and murmured to Fox about how sweet it was. Olimar shooed them out, then turned off the lights. He looked back at the sleeping form of his daughter–the spitting image of her mother–and a warm feeling settled in his heart. It was a relief to know that Millie could go on with just her father around. It would be hard, but now he had the help of the other smashers to take care of her. In a way, they were her new family.

As he shut the door, Peach grabbed him by the shoulders and began steering him back towards the gathering of brawlers.

"Your public awaits!" she declared.

Everyone was milling about in the dining room, and upon his arrival, Mario jumped up onto the table.

"Alright, everyone, he's-a here! As most of you already know, Olimar is staying for good–"

This was met with cheers from most of the room. He ducked his head...as if that would make him any less the center of attention.

Donkey Kong scooped him up and held him over his head, causing more cheers.

"He's brought his little girl and his pet–"

Bulbie chittered as he was mentioned, and Samus grabbed him and held him up as well.

"I know it's been...tense around here, but we all need to make him feel welcome. Now, the baby is sleeping so we're gonna have to move this somewhere else. Peach will stay behind–"

He nodded in her direction.

"–and the rest of you are required to come with me!"

A few groans from some of the less sociable brawlers, but no objections beyond that. Olimar just squirmed and craned his neck to look at all the excited faces around them. He trusted Mario, but nobody was wondering where they were going?! Despite being the reason for the gathering, nobody listened to him complain as he was hauled out with the fray of fighters. There was something...mischievous about Peach's smile as she waved him goodbye. His heart sank.

O

Only as they approached their destination did any of his questions get answered. He saw Luigi tug frantically on his brother's arm, but Mario shrugged him off, mumbling, "it's perfectly safe."

Luigi did not look convinced.

Olimar began detangling the leaves and branches from his hair as the gang pushed open the doors to Luigi's Mansion.

The first thing he noticed–that anyone noticed–was that everything was coated in a layer of dust. Luigi had not been to the mansion since he and Mario had escaped, and it was evident by the poor state it was in. Mario flipped a switch and the grand hall was showered with pale light.

"This is my brother's mansion–Gloomy Manor. Since yesterday was Halloween and we didn't celebrate–"

Hollow-ween? He couldn't keep up with all these earth holidays!

"–Link and I decided it would be a good idea to come here."

Luigi's brows furrowed and he crossed his arms childishly.

"Well you could've asked me. It's mine, after all."

Mario ignored him.

"We're going to play a game. The object of this game is to find Olimar's cake. I've hidden it deep in this house. All the lights will be off except this one. If nobody finds it by midnight, you're all sleeping in the garden tonight!"

That got some creeped out looks.

Olimar lifted his head, confused.

"Why's that such a bad thing? The only things out there are my Pikmin, and they're harmless."

Wario piped up.

"Your little friends start up every night with that creepy humming noise they make! It's enough to drive a man crazy!"

"I resent that!" Olimar hollered. "I think it's soothing..."

"Which is why I chose it," Link cut in. "Because it's your party so even if you lose you won't be punished."

Mario didn't seem happy with that–he obviously wanted to torture all of them–but Link had convinced him.

"Everyone needs to come to me and get a flashlight, then you may split up into teams. Choose wisely."

Olimar sighed in relief when Donkey Kong finally set him down. Soon enough, the entire hall was filled with chatter and shuffling feet. Olimar slunk away and waited for someone to drag him into their group.

"You've got a bad feeling about this too."

Olimar jumped. Meta Knight had suddenly appeared behind him.

"Y-yeah..do you..?"

"Yes. I know it all seems to be harmless, but I don't think Mario thought this one through completely. He was so excited about Halloween yesterday, he had it all planned out, but the rest of us thought it didn't feel right to celebrate without you, since you'd never had a Halloween. He grudgingly agreed to postpone it, but...he's acting strange."

"I've noticed," Olimar scoffed. "He better not put anyone in danger because of this."

Meta Knight grunted.

"Here."

He pushed a flashlight into his hands.

"They're kinda cheap. I'm pretty sure that battery's only going to last twenty minutes. We'll have to find our own way after they run out."

"Alright, it looks like everyone has their groups. Everyone needs to branch out. I'd like to see that cake found within the hour so I can go to sleep," Link barked. Olimar stood there and watched as everyone else filed out, still talking, until Meta Knight shoved him playfully.

"They're getting a head start."

Olimar nodded and sighed. Link had the right idea, going to sleep and forgetting the whole thing sounded great.

O

As it turns out, stumbling around in the dark was not fun. Luckily for Olimar, Meta Knight could see in the dark, so he just clung to his cape and took careful steps. He didn't regret not asking more people to join his group–he could hear them from the other side of the mansion, shouting about their dead batteries. Mario had a sick idea of what was entertaining. He wouldn't be surprised if the guy had cameras set up all over the place to record their night of terror.

"We're going downstairs," Meta Knight cautioned, guiding his hand to the railing. Olimar stayed close to the wall as they picked their way down to the basement.

He let out a deep breath when they reached the bottom.

"This is ridiculous. Can't we just go back? I don't care about the stupid cake, I just want to go home. What if Millie wakes up?"

Meta Knight chuckled.

"I'm pretty sure she's fine. She was sleeping like a rock when we left. Besides, this will be over soon."

"Why, do you know where the cake is?"

Meta Knight went silent for a second.

"Wait..you do, don't you? Then why didn't we go there in the first place?! If we had just gone straight to it we might not have had to deal with the batteries dying!"

Meta Knight didn't answer.

Olimar stopped in his tracks, pulling harshly on the other's cape.

"Answer me!"

Meta Knight yanked his cape out of Olimar's grip.

"It's not important. Look, how about you just stay here. I'll go grab the cake and meet you."

"But–"

"Stay!"

"W-wait!"

He was gone.

Olimar kicked the wall.

"What the hell was all that about?!"

He sat down, trying to ignore how the darkness seemed to be closing in around him. Meta Knight was right–it would be quicker if he just went and got it himself, but...he should've known he wouldn't want to be left alone. Olimar sighed. He'd just have to wait it out.

He just didn't understand why Meta Knight would waste their time like that. Unless he liked the dark, which wasn't unlikely. Or maybe..

"Olimar! Man, am I glad to see you!"

Olimar jumped, startled from his thoughts.

"Oh, Lucas. Are you lost?"

"Yeah, I got separated from my group. You?"

"Same."

Lucas collected a ball of PK thunder in his hand for some light.

"I've been trying to save my energy, but it won't do me much good if I can't get back."

Olimar stood up.

"I'm pretty sure I can find the way. Meta Knight and I walked in the dark for a while, but I think I remember which way we turned."

Lucas nodded.

"Would it help if I put out the light, then?"

Olimar shook his head.

"It's probably fine."

Inwardly, he wondered why Lucas would suggest it. He wasn't exactly a brave kid.

"Ok, I'll hold it as long as I can."

"Right. Here, follow me."

O

He led Lucas up the stairs and began to turn corners. Right, right, left, right, left, straight, left. It was much easier now that he could see, but he wasn't confident he actually knew where he was going. His mind quickly wandered from the task at hand. Meta Knight would probably assumed he'd gone back to the main hall and follow suit, he hoped. What was his problem? Was there something he wanted to talk to him about?

Lucas tugged on his arm.

"A-are you sure this is the right way?"

"No. But we've gotta keep moving."

"We're lost?!"

"_No_.."

He hated that word. Lost was such a helpless word.

"I-I'm just..."

Suddenly the light flickered. He turned just in time to see Lucas collapse onto the carpet. He quickly ran to help him up. Lucas rubbed his head, and the light went out.

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't worry about it. You're tired."

"O-Olimar! Oh man, watch out!"

The Hocotatian whirled around, eyes wide. There, floating a couple inches above his head, was a blue, transparent ghost. It's eyes were stark white, it's mouth was open revealing its fangs. Olimar fell over and screamed, shielding Lucas as the ghost let out a terrifying shriek.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of metal slicing through the air and the ghost split in two. He moved his arm to see Meta Knight leap on top of it and deliver a final blow to its midsection.

"Look out!" he barked, diving at Olimar to move him out of the way. The ghost made a loud beeping noise and exploded.

"What the..? What was that?!" Lucas cried, hysterical.

Meta Knight climbed off of Olimar and sheathed his sword.

"A robot. I told you Mario was up to no good. He set them all over the house, trying to scare us."

"If he was just trying to scare us, why did that thing explode?" Olimar asked.

"I don't know.." he paused. "This isn't Mario's doing. Someone messed with them, made them dangerous, and I'm going to find out who."

Lucas made some light for them as Meta Knight began to lead them down the hall.

"So..did you get the cake?"

Meta Knight chuckled and shook his head.

"Yeah, shortly before Ike and his group showed up. They were saying they should get to eat it, since their entire group found it. They were so busy arguing they didn't notice when Kirby opened up his mouth and ate the whole thing in one bite."

He patted Olimar on the back.

"Eh, it didn't look that great anyway. We could always get you another one."

"It's not a big deal. What I wanna know is, why would anyone tamper with the robots? I thought we were all friends."

Well 'friends' probably wasn't the best word for it, but he at least expected everyone to try to get along.

Meta Knight suddenly picked up speed.

"If you haven't noticed, some of our 'friends' are not exactly good people. They're not all passive to the arrangements at the mansion. We've got mortal enemies and polar opposites all thrown in this hellhole we like to call our "house", but if Mario would stop being so blind he might've thought better of it. The truth is, nobody is content with living there, no matter how long he forces us to stay."

Olimar blinked, quite surprised at how worked up he was getting. This had to be a mistake, right?

"You..I think you're over-reacting.."

Meta Knight turned on him, the ferocity in his eyes making him take a fearful step back.

"So what?! My point is that none of it is working out and I can't stand it any more! And then you have your little girl here now and it's not–"

"–that's what this is about, isn't it?"

Meta Knight froze, a few seconds ticked by, and then he quickly turned away. Olimar continued.

"...You're worried about her, aren't you? You think I should've stayed on Hocotate and raised her there–"

"It would've been the wiser thing to do–"

"Then why did you want me to stay?!"

His voice had raised to a shout, but he didn't care.

"Damn you! Why is it any of your business how I choose to raise my child?!"

"...Because I care. I should've realized it was no good for her here, but I was..distracted. It's not going to be okay for you two if she can't feel safe."

"Yeah? Well it's a little too late for that and I don't want _you_ making me second guess myself! This is hard enough as it is, I want to be able to make my own choices!"

"Why?! Can't you take any advice?!"

"I don't _need_ your advice!"

"Guys!"

Lucas cut in for the first time–both had actually forgotten he was there.

"I don't care what kind of lover's spat you get into, but now is not the time! I'm running out of energy and I don't fancy blundering around in the dark!"

He blinked twice, just as surprised at his outburst as the other two, and quickly added, "..i-if that's okay."

"It's fine by me," Olimar said pointedly, shoving past Meta Knight though he didn't know the way.

Meta Knight shook his head.

"He sure is a stubborn one, isn't he?"

He tone showed no malice, rather, it was affectionate. Lucas raised an eyebrow.

"I guess.." he replied, deciding not to point out that Meta Knight himself was also stubborn.

O

Eventually, Meta Knight took the lead again, and they wound up entering the lighted hall once more. Several of the groups were gathered already, muttering about their run-ins with the ghost robots.

Link and Mario were nowhere to be found, and Olimar was livid.

"You two better get your sorry asses out here!" he screamed.

A few of the others stepped back, and Meta Knight chuckled. Nobody knew he had a temper.

The large door just up the stairs opened a bit, and Link slipped out. He took one good look at the group and stepped over to the railing.

"Alright, nobody panic. There's just been a slight issue with the robots. We're not sure what's wrong but–"

"They're exploding, that's what's wrong!" Ike snapped.

"Yes, I understand that. Calm down. Mario and Luigi went to find the others and as soon as they're back we can leave."

"See, you _were_ over-reacting," Olimar muttered, nudging Meta Knight harshly. The other just rolled his eyes.

The hall soon filled with nervous chatter, giving Olimar ample time to slip away to be alone. Unfortunately though, there was one person that was intent on _not_ ignoring him. Meta Knight tailed him over to a small drawer and pretended he wasn't waiting for him to say something.

Olimar didn't acknowledge him at first. He opened the drawer and found a small device that looked like a game player, and fidgeted with it for a while until discovering that it was broken. Meta Knight cleared his throat, and he put it back and turned to look at him.

"What?" he finally snapped.

"I was just...it's not fair of me to judge what you've decided to do with your life...I can tell people do that to you a lot..."

How did he know? Dammit, why did he have to be so attentive?

"I'm sorry...I was wrong."

Olimar almost reeled back. Though he tried to hide it, Meta Knight was a known narcissist.

"You said 'I'm sorry' and 'I was wrong' in the same sentence!"

Meta Knight growled.

"Yeah, pour salt on the open wound why don't ya..there's still time to take it back.."

"Don't bother. I'm just surprised is all..."

"Well don't get used to it."

Olimar giggled. When he looked back at Meta Knight, he noticed the warrior was staring.

"...What?"

"N-nothing it's just...I haven't seen you smile much lately."

Again with the attentiveness.

"..So?"

"You have a nice smile."

"Are you flirting with me?"

Meta Knight chuckled at this.

"I don't know, am I?"

"I don't know, _are you_?"

"What do you think?"

"I think you're messing with me."

"Hm, maybe...maybe not."

Olimar could hear the sly grin that was surely plastered on his face. If the stupid puffball even had a face.

"Whatever. Senpai will never notice you."

This actually drew a genuine laugh from the other.

"Aw, and I was gonna wear my pink skirt tomorrow."

They shared a laugh, and fell silent.

"...you don't actually have a pink skirt, do you?"

"..it's white."

"_What?!_"

Meta Knight let out a deep breath, as if it were painful to even mention.

"Peach thinks it's cute to make skirts for everyone under a certain height regiment. I knew she'd be crushed if I just threw it away so..."

Olimar snickered.

"Oh, I wouldn't get cocky just yet, space boy. You're smaller than everyone here. I'm sure she's got a whole clothing line waiting for you."

The grin slid right off his face.

Just then, Mario and Luigi burst through the door Link had come in from, looking quite terrified.

"They're trying to kill us!" Mario screeched, his face red from running the whole way.

"How were we supposed to know those robots were explosive?!" Luigi cried, his expression one of panic. Nobody reacted beyond an eye roll as Bowser easily forced the door open, knocking the two plumbers to the ground.

"Look what you did to Zelda!" he roared. Zelda entered behind him, as well as Yoshi and Lucario. All of them looked like they had a run-in with the explosive ghosts, though Zelda had more soot on her clothes. She had her arms crossed as she shoved her way past Bowser to look him in the eye.

"I told you it's not a big deal!"

Meta Knight snickered something about Bowser having a crush on her, and Olimar stifled a giggle.

"Uh-oh, looks like Peach is out!" he agreed.

"Nevermind the stupid ghosts," Link moaned. "Did anyone find the cake? Can we finally go home?"

-Thankfully, no one slept in the garden that night.

* * *

The next morning was a catastrophe. Millie was screaming like a banshee and Olimar couldn't get anyone's attention long enough to help him with the microwave so he could heat up her milk. Who was the genius who installed it above the stove, anyway? Many of his housemates slunk by without so much as a glance, looking like zombies in a horror movie, and every time he tried to catch one of the taller Smasher's attention they'd simply mumble "Hey, Olimar." Couldn't they hear the baby crying? They promised to help him out! He finally lost it.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH EVERYONE TODAY?!"

Wario swooped up behind him in a cartoon-like fashion, making him jump.

"They need their fix!" he declared.

"Fix?" he tilted his head. "I didn't know so many of you guys used drugs..."

"No, no, that's not it at all. We ran out of coffee!" Toon Link supplied cheekily, obviously very entertained by all of this. Olimar spotted Nana and Ivysaur poking at a zombified Snake until the man just keeled over. They ran off, laughing hysterically.

"I've heard of it, but I never got to try it. Why? Are they diseased? Is it some type of medicine?"

"It helps some people wake up in the morning. And since we stayed out late last night, nobody got enough sleep!" he chirped.

Meta Knight passed by just then, saying a quiet greeting to Olimar before seating himself. His movements were sluggish and his eyes were dim, but nobody else would've noticed. Olimar sighed and slammed the formula down on the counter, getting quite a reaction from several of his housemates at the loud noise, and handed Millie to Peach.

He slid into the seat beside Meta Knight.

"So.."

Meta Knight barely looked at him.

"What do you want?"

At the bite in his voice, Olimar instantly regretted trying to strike up a conversation. He fumbled with his hands for a moment, trying to think of something to say.

"You never told me why you wear the mask."

"You never asked."

"No but..."

"Am I unsociable?"

His tone was sad, almost apprehensive. Odd, he never seemed the type to care what others thought of him. Olimar chose his next words carefully.

"..unapproachable. Not willing to talk about things. But I always thought it was because you liked to keep to yourself."

Meta Knight laughed humorlessly.

"Well there are some things other people don't want to hear. They get uncomfortable, don't know what to say."

"You can trust me. I won't freeze up, I swear it!"

Meta Knight turned to look at him fully, skepticism in his eyes.

"Are you trying to get me to come out of my shell or something?"

"I might be. It wouldn't hurt to talk every once in a while," Olimar shrugged.

Meta Knight chuckled. His bad mood was lifting already.

"That's the greatest thing about you. You're honest, even when honesty isn't the best option."

"Honesty is always the best option!"

Meta Knight chuckled again.

"Whatever you say...so you really want to know, do you?"

"Of course I do!"

"Ah, a curious type, too. I don't know why I expected any less from an adventurer.."

"Quit dodging!"

"Fine, fine. Come with me," he gestured. Olimar stole a glance at Peach, who had finally put Millie's breakfast in the microwave, thank god, and followed silently.

Meta Knight led him into his room and shut the door.

Olimar kept his mouth shut the whole time, sensing that Meta Knight was very tense about it. He wondered inwardly why the warrior was sharing this with him even though he wasn't comfortable with it, but he wrote it off as him needing to show _someone_.

These assumptions were quickly dispelled, however, when Meta Knight turned, anxiously looking him over as if he had suddenly changed his mind.

"This is difficult...for me. It's not everyone who gets to see this side...this _vulnerable_ side of me. But I feel you've earned the right to know my true face..."

Olimar stood rigid a moment, stunned by those words. Had he really been able to break down all his walls so easily?

"Why are you doing this?" he asked quietly. Meta Knight chuckled.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Isn't what obvious?"

Meta Knight had to resist the urge to roll his eyes.

"For such an observant person, you're quite dense."

Olimar felt his chest tighten at the minor insult.

"Well not everyone is like you. You can read people like a book."

"You try to hide your emotions but they're written all over your face. Only lately have you been able to shut me out. I figured maybe you'd let me in if I did the same, so.."

"But why do you care so much?"

Meta Knight sighed.

"If you haven't found out by now I guess it's not important."

Before Olimar could ask what he meant by that, Meta Knight was sliding his mask off his face. Olimar could practically hear his own heart beat. Here he was, so busy questioning every motive Meta Knight had to care about him that he didn't realize the gravity of the situation. He secretly wondered for a long time what he looked like without the mask, but the very moment before he got his answer, he suddenly felt conflicted as to whether he wanted to know or not. Would he see Meta Knight differently from now on? Was it even his place to keep this kind of a secret? Was the person underneath the mask who he really was, or just a false image? Was the mask a reflection of who he saw himself to be? Would he regret it?

Well, there was no taking it back now.

Olimar didn't move, didn't speak, didn't even think. At that point all his anxious thoughts had dissipated, leaving his mind more open to take in the rare image in front of him.

The first thing that registered was his resemblance to Kirby. He wondered if they could be related, but that didn't make much sense, since they never spent much time together. His eyes were a striking silver color, not at all like the bright bubbly blue of Kirby's eyes. They were round and shiny, but the similarities stopped there. His gaze was piercing, intimidating, almost over-bearing if you were to stare too long. Though he didn't look as tough without his mask, he still held that aura that was all his own. He could still part a crowd if he wanted.

He must've stared too long, because Meta Knight moved to cover his face once more.

"Wait!"

Olimar caught his arm before he could. The warrior looked up, studying him for a reaction, but found only simple curiosity in his eyes. He relaxed the tiniest bit.

"Well?"

"I-I just...I don't know what to say.."

"There is nothing to say," he replied shortly. "This is who I am, take it or leave it. Now that you've seen me, do you think you can tell me what's been on your mind lately?"

Olimar shuffled uncomfortably, finding the words slip off his tongue before he could stop them.

"You have..."

Too bad the mask was off, or Meta Knight might've been able to cover up his reaction to the little confession.

Olimar pretended not to notice how his cheeks darkened.

"It's just that you've been spending a lot of time around me lately–not that I mind! But I don't understand why you're suddenly being so nice to me, why you're going out of your way to help me. I mean, what made me stand out to you? I've never seen you care so much about anyone."

"You needed it..." Meta Knight replied slowly. "You needed someone. If it was anyone else it might've been different, but..you don't have a lot of friends here. All I could think about was how you reminded me of myself. Even with your family.."

Olimar flinched, but Meta Knight continued.

"..even with their support, I could tell you've always felt alone. It occurred to me that you never had anyone there for you. So I made it my duty to give you someone to lean on. And before, when I wanted you to stay, I was being selfish. Because if you left I wouldn't have anyone either."

He fell silent and looked away, irritation crossing his features. Olimar surmised that it wasn't easy for him to admit he needed him. Did he need him too? Now that he thought about it, everything the knight did for him lifted a little off his shoulders, simply because he showed that he cared...because nobody else would.

Everything started to make more and more sense.

Meta Knight was still avoiding his eyes, looking anywhere but at him. Olimar smiled despite himself.

"Thank you, Meta Knight."

Said knight moved his gaze to the floor.

"It's no problem.."

A stray thought still prodded the back of Olimar's mind, but he pushed it away. He'd found out more about the warrior than he ever thought he would, and that was good enough for now.

On cue, Peach burst into the room, a screaming Millie in her arms. Meta Knight's mask was back on in a flash.

"She's doing it again! What's wrong this time? She can't be tired so soon!"

Olimar rolled his eyes and took the baby from her.

"Honestly, for a woman you know nothing about children."

Peach narrowed her eyes at him at the sexist comment, looking about ready to slap him, if only he wasn't holding Millie.

Just as she huffed and turned to leave, she spotted Meta Knight.

Her eyes narrowed again.

"What are you two doing alone in here?"

"Pardon me, your highness, but that's none of your concern," Meta Knight replied smoothly. Before she could get angry, he slipped out of the room, so quickly it was as if he were never there. Olimar shook his head in amazement, patting Millie on the back. He would never understand how he did that.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter probably could've used some cleaning up but..I'm a lazy fuck.**

**There's probably a factual error in here somewhere...I'm not sure what the actually name of Luigi's Mansion is, so if you have any info regarding that please feel free to tell me.**

**The first part of this chapter was kinda crack-ish in theory, and I wanted to cut it out, but it proved indispensable on a few dramatic scenes, much-needed laughs, and character angles. So against my better judgement, I kept it.**


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